Fiona and I went to our first Rally class. First off, I was thrilled she was not a quivering mass, looking for the nearest exit. There were 2 Pitbulls, a Pitbull mix, a German Shepherd, and a very excited Golden mix. The only dog any where near her size is Spooky, a young Frenchie. A year ago, this would have been a recipe for disaster. But to my immense relief, Fiona took it all in stride. So I can't blame any of my problems on Fiona.....
Anyone who has trained a small dog knows the difficulties. I jealously watched as Ripley, the Golden, walked with his nose at his mom's waist, his body pushing against her hip. Fiona's "heel" is about 2 feet away from me......and her nose is 6 inches from the ground!! Emily, our trainer, had a brilliant idea of using a wooden spoon with cheese smashed on it. I held that in front of Fiona's nose and, for the first time, she "heeled" in the perfect position - with me standing upright! Brilliant.......
The trouble came with juggling everything else......her leash, her treats and the clicker. I spent most of the class trying to figure out what to hold in which hand. Again, Fiona took it all in stride!!
So what did I learn??
1. Attach her leash to my belt or work off lead.
2. Get a treat bag that is easier to get into.
3. Have several treats in my hand PRIOR to starting the exercise.
4. Next time, get a taller dog.
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